The Bengals have won the AFC North and have nothing to play for other than the #3 instead of the #4 seed if the Patriots lose in Houston. Bengals will already know the outcome and in the end - there is really nothing to play for this week. Figure too that there is a chance that these two teams could play the next week. The Bengals claim to intend to play this game like every other but there is big risk in that and the Jets are at home and fighting for their playoff lives.

Cincinnati Bengals (10-5)

Homefield: Paul Brown Stadium

FieldTurf

Opp

Score

Spread

Over/Under

1

DEN

7-12

-5

42.5

2

@GB

31-24

+9

42

3

PIT

23-20

+4.5

37

4

@CLE

23-20

-5.5

38

5

@BAL

17-14

+8.5

42

6

HOU

17-28

-5.5

46

7

CHI

45-10

-1

42.5

8

BYE

-

-

-

9

BAL

17-7

+3

43.5

10

@PIT

18-12

+6.5

41

11

@OAK

17-20

-9

36

12

CLE

16-7

-12

39.5

13

DET

23-13

+13.5

42

14

@MIN

10-30

+6

42.5

15

@SD

24-27

+6.5

44

16

KC

17-10

-13

39.5

17

@NYJ

-

+10

35.5

CIN at NYJ

Rush

Catch

Pass

QB

Carson Palmer

180,1

RB

Cedric Benson

70

10

WR

Chad Ochocinco

50

WR

Laveranues Coles

40,1

WR

Andre Caldwell

50

PK

Shayne Graham

2 FG

1 XP

Pregame Notes: Even going into this game, the Bengals really do not have anything to win and it is going to be hard to rely on them playing hard for the entire game. The Bengals already have lost each of their last three road games so the trend is there for them to give up sooner than later to rest players and not show the Jets anything if they end up likely to meet them again next week. This is the final game of the regular season and the Bengals will know everything when this game goes off. The Jets just have to win.

Quarterback:Carson Palmer has not seen 2009 as a return to his former glory years which in part is because of the success of the rushing game and the upgraded defensive effort this year. He will end the year just over 3000 passing yards and 21 touchdowns which makes him average at best. Palmer has been scoring in most games but his yardage varies greatly from week to week.

The Jets have never allowed more than one passing score in New York so expect a sub-par game from Palmer. He'd be a risk this week anyway without facing the #1 defense against quarterbacks.

Running Backs: The Bengals have reinvigorated their rushing attack with Cedric Benson and the addition of Larry Johnson gives them a great #2 to use. Benson has already rushed for 1251 yards and six scores but has almost no role as a receiver with just 11 catches on the season. It is bothersome too that he has not scored since week nine in Baltimore.

The Jets have only allowed two rushing scores in New York this year so expect nothing more than moderate yardage from Benson who could end up giving way to Johnson. Benson will be a very risky fantasy start this week in a bad venue.

Wide Receivers:Chad OchoCinco has nothing to gain this week having already passed the 1000 yard mark and nine scores on the year. He wants to challenge Darrelle Revis of course but no reason to expect he will be successful since the Jets are at home and have everything to win. No one - that is no one - has succeeded against Revis this year.

I like the passing score to end up with a wideout but Ochocinco is less likely thanks to Revis. Laveranues Coles has been lighter on yardage but has scored in the last two games.

Tight Ends: No fantasy value.

RANKS (1-32, 1 = BEST)

TEAM

QB

RB

WR

TE

PK

DEF

Gaining Fantasy Points

CIN

18

23

12

30

17

11

Preventing Fantasy Points

NYJ

1

6

1

3

3

26

New York Jets (8-7)

Homefield: Giants Stadium

FieldTurf

Opp

Score

Spread

Over/Under

1

@HOU

24-7

+4.5

44

2

NE

16-9

+6

46

3

TEN

24-17

-2.5

37

4

@NO

10-24

+6.5

46

5

@MIA

27-31

-1.5

36.5

6

BUF

13-16

--9.5

37

7

@OAK

38-0

-6

34

8

MIA

25-30

-3.5

40

9

BYE

-

-

-

10

JAC

22-24

-7

41

11

@NE

14-31

+10.5

45

12

CAR

17-6

-3.5

41

13

@BUF

19-13

-3.5

39

14

@TB

26-3

-3.5

36.5

15

ATL

7-10

-5.5

36.5

16

@IND

29-15

+3

40.5

17

CIN

-

-10

35.5

NYJ vs CIN

Rush

Catch

Pass

QB

Mark Sanchez

180,1

RB

Thomas Jones

90,1

TE

Dustin Keller

20

WR

Jerricho Cotchery

60

WR

Braylon Edwards

60,1

WR

David Clowney

20

PK

Jay Feely

2 FG

2 XP

Pregame Notes: The Jets may have been the recipient of a free win last week - though not to take anything away from their effort - when the Colts pulled out of the game last Sunday. And it could very well end up happening again this week with the Bengals likely to have nothing to gain and on the road where they are much weaker anyway. All the Jets need to do is win and they are in. This is a defense that has held the last five opponents to less than 16 points each.

Quarterback:Mark Sanchez is winding down his rookie season and with 2381 yards and 12 scores against 20 interceptions, he's had the traditional start. His initial games where impressive but he has since settled down, struggled and now winds down as mostly just a game manager. He's never had more than one touchdown pass in the last seven games and only had two efforts exceed 200 yards during that span.

The Bengals have allowed a touchdown to all but one road opponent with moderate yardage. Expect just that one score from Sanchez with lower yardage.

Running Backs: The Jets have leaned on the rushing game as much as possible this year and the 31-year old Thomas Jones has been outstanding with 1324 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. The Jets are also letting Shonn Greene get more playing time and the rookie comes off his second best showing of the year with 16 carries for 95 yards in Indianapolis. In such an important game, it is safe to assume a heavy load for Jones who should score once and have at least decent yards - a big game if the Bengals never try.

Greene could show up with decent numbers here as well but that all relies on game situation and how motivated the Bengals are coming into this game. Too risky to consider for a fantasy start.

Wide Receivers: The passing game has taken a back seat for most of the year and that is reflected in the pedestrian numbers here. Jerricho Cotchery only has 782 yards on 52 catches for the team lead but only has three scores. Braylon Edwards made an immediate splash in week five when he came over but has been mediocre at best in the last half dozen games other than the home stand against the Falcons.

Cotchery has not scored in six weeks with Edwards has two touchdowns in that time. Never more than moderate yardage but Edwards has a shot at a score here.

Tight Ends:Dustin Keller has been little used in the second half of this season and mostly just blocked. Early on it appeared that Sanchez might rely on him more but he has not scored in the last eight weeks and had mediocre yardage each week.